Expression of Wnt-Related Long Non-coding RNAs ITGB2-AS1, HNF1A- AS1, and Lnc-MAP6-1:3 in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most commonly diagnosed cancers globally and continues to be a major contributor to cancer-associated mortality. Aberrant activation of oncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes contribute to CRC development and are closely associated with dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Recent evidence suggests that lncRNAs regulate tumor initiation and progression and may serve as valuable biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. This study investigated the expression profiles and diagnostic potential of three Wnt-related lncRNAs, ITGB2-AS1, HNF1A-AS1, and Lnc-MAP6-1:3, in colorectal cancer patients. Materials and Methods Thirty paired colorectal tumor tissues and matched adjacent non-tumorous tissues were collected from patients who underwent surgical resection. Total RNA was extracted using TRIzol™ reagent, and complementary DNA (cDNA) was synthesized using the ExcelRT™ Reverse Transcription Kit. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was accomplished using RealQ Plus 2× Master Mix Green. Relative gene expression was analyzed using REST software, while statistical analyses were performed with SPSS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the investigated lncRNAs. Results qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that ITGB2-AS1 and HNF1A-AS1 were significantly upregulated in colorectal tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues (P < 0.05). Expression levels of ITGB2-AS1 exhibited a 13.43-fold increase in tumor compared to healthy non-tumor tissues. In contrast, Lnc-MAP6-1:3 did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference between tumor and normal tissues. ROC curve analysis indicated that ITGB2-AS1 had excellent diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.83, P < 0.0001), while HNF1A-AS1 and Lnc-MAP6-1:3 showed moderate diagnostic accuracy. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that ITGB2-AS1 and HNF1A-AS1 are significantly overexpressed in tumor tissues and may serve as promising molecular biomarkers for CRC diagnosis. Further large-scale and independent studies are needed to validate their clinical utility and translational potential, and elucidate their biological functions in colorectal carcinogenesis.